Top Landscape Trees for 2026 Projects

Top Landscape Trees

Top Landscape Trees

Other Top Landscape treesAs we move into 2026, landscape design continues to balance function, beauty, and long-term sustainability. Contractors are prioritizing trees that deliver visual impact, adaptability, and resilience — selections that thrive in Mid-Atlantic conditions while minimizing maintenance needs.

Emerging Trends for 2026

This year’s projects emphasize climate-adapted trees, native selections, and improved cultivars bred for uniformity and urban tolerance. Clients expect top landscape trees that perform under heat stress, poor soils, and changing weather patterns — all while enhancing property value.

Red Maple Landscape treeAcer rubrum ‘Redpointe’ (Red Maple) – Redpointe remains one of the top shade trees for commercial and residential landscapes. Its brilliant red fall color, upright branching, and tolerance to compacted soils make it ideal for streetscapes and large yards. Contractors appreciate its predictable form and strong central leader — traits that simplify installation and maintenance.

Quercus bicolor (Swamp White Oak) – A staple native oak with striking two-toned leaves and remarkable adaptability to both dry and wet conditions. It’s a long-lived species that brings ecological and aesthetic benefits, thriving in challenging urban or suburban sites.

Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam) – Often called Musclewood for its smooth, sinewy trunk, this smaller native tree is perfect for tight spaces or refined designs. Its fine texture and rich fall color make it a designer favorite for courtyards and shaded borders.

Cercis canadensis ‘The Rising Sun’ (Eastern Redbud) – Few small trees rival The Rising Sun’s color-changing foliage, transitioning from apricot-orange to chartreuse throughout the growing season. Contractors love it for its compact habit and ability to provide continuous color in mixed plantings.

Gleditsia triacanthos ‘Skyline’ (Honeylocust) – A time-tested workhorse for parking lots, streets, and large commercial spaces. Its filtered shade, drought tolerance, and rapid growth make it a reliable choice for tough environments.

Why These Top Landscape Trees Stand Out

Contractors in 2026 are focused on longevity and consistency. Clients increasingly request trees that provide early visual return with minimal replacements. Using high-quality nursery stock ensures dependable establishment and long-term satisfaction for top landscape trees.

The Wholesale Advantage

Purchasing through Country Springs Wholesale Nursery gives contractors access to:

    • Uniform caliper and height for even canopy lines
    • Contractor pricing on volume orders
    • Reliable spring and fall inventory
    • Delivery schedules designed around your job timeline

Whether you’re planting a corporate campus or a residential development, partnering with a wholesale nursery ensures your 2026 projects begin with healthy, consistent, and landscape-ready trees.

Pollinator Friendly Perennials for a Garden with Real Buzz

Pollinator Friendly Perennials

Pollinator Friendly PerennialsPollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds play a vital role inhealthy ecosystems — and in keeping your garden thriving. By planting the right pollinator friendly perennials, you can create a beautiful landscape that supports pollinator populations while adding color and texture to your yard.

Why Plant for Pollinators?

Planting for pollinators supports a thriving ecosystem by promoting biodiversity, ensuring that a wide variety of plants, insects, and wildlife can coexist and flourish. Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds play a crucial role in food production, helping fruits, vegetables, and flowering plants reproduce and yield abundantly. Beyond their ecological and agricultural benefits, pollinator-friendly gardens offer season-long beauty, with continuous blooms that attract vibrant life and color from spring through fall—creating landscapes that are both productive and visually stunning.

Pollinator Friendly Perennials that Grab the Attention of Pollinators

Echinacea (Coneflower)

A native garden favorite, coneflowers feature large daisy-like blooms in shades of purple, pink, and white. They’re drought-tolerant and attract bees and butterflies all summer long.

Pollinator Friendly PerennialsRudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)

With golden-yellow petals and dark centers, black-eyed susans provide long-lasting color from midsummer into fall, while feeding a variety of pollinators.

Monarda (Bee Balm)

As the name suggests, bee balm is a magnet for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Its tubular flowers come in shades of red, pink, and purple, thriving in sunny, moist spots.

Helenium (Sneezeweed)

Cheerful late-summer blooms in fiery reds, oranges, and yellows make helenium a favorite for bees. It’s an excellent way to extend nectar sources into fall.

Salvia (Meadow Sage)

Salvia’s spiky purple or blue flowers provide nectar for bees and hummingbirds. Many varieties rebloom if cut back after flowering.

Asclepias (Milkweed)

Essential for monarch butterflies, milkweed offers clusters of pink, orange, or white blooms and provides a critical host plant for monarch caterpillars.

Design Tips for Pollinator Gardens

Plant in Groups: Large swaths of the same flower make it easier for pollinators to forage.

Stagger Bloom Times: Choose plants that flower in spring, summer, and fall for season-long food sources.

Go Native: Native plants are often the most beneficial and well-adapted for local pollinators.

Skip Chemicals: Avoid pesticides and herbicides that can harm pollinator populations.

Final Thoughts for Pollinator Friendly Perennials

By incorporating perennials like coneflowers, bee balm, and milkweed, you can turn your garden into a vibrant habitat for pollinators. Not only will your landscape buzz with life, but you’ll also be helping to support the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds that keep our ecosystems flourishing.

Landscape Privacy Screening: The Ultimate Guide

Landscape Privacy Screening

Landscape Privacy ScreeningCreating a natural landscape privacy screening in your landscape is one of the best ways to add privacy, reduce noise, and define outdoor spaces. Whether you’re barring the neighbor’s view of your outdoor space, softening a property line, or enclosing a patio, plants offer a living, green solution that improves with time. The right choice depends on your space, climate, and design goals.

Why Choose Plants for Privacy Screening?

Beauty: Screens provide year-round greenery and seasonal interest.

Eco-Friendly: Living walls support wildlife, absorb carbon, and cool surrounding areas.

Flexibility: Options range from tall, fast-growing evergreens to layered shrub borders.

Top Choices for Landscape Privacy Screening

Plant Growth Rate Sun & Soil Best Use Why it Stands Out
Thuja ‘Green Giant’ (Arborvitae) Fast — 3–5 ft/year Full sun to part shade; wide soil tolerance; prefers moist, well-drained Rapid privacy screen, windbreak, hedge Quick, dense growth with few pest issues; evergreen cover year-round
Leyland Cypress Very fast — 3–4+ ft/year Full sun; adapts to many soils; prefers well-drained, slightly acidic Tall, fast screens and windbreaks Extremely fast growth and height; instant screening effect
American Holly (Ilex opaca) Slow to moderate — 6–18 in/year Full sun to part shade; prefers acidic, moist, well-drained soils Specimen tree, formal hedge, wildlife habitat Evergreen with glossy leaves and bright red berries; high wildlife and ornamental value
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’) Moderate — 1–2 ft/year Full sun to part shade; tolerates clay and urban soils if well-drained Columnar screen, street tree, narrow-site planting Slim, upright form fits tight spaces; smooth bark and good fall color
Bamboo (Clumping varieties) Fast in season — new canes reach full height each year; clump expands 1–2+ ft/year Full sun to part shade; moist, fertile, well-drained soils Living fence, fast screen, tropical accent, erosion control Rapid vertical growth, dense foliage; clumping types are non-invasive and manageable

Tips for Planting Landscape Privacy Screening

When planning a landscape for privacy, thoughtful design and care make all the difference. Spacing is key: plant Green Giants about 6–8 feet apart to create a seamless, dense hedge without overcrowding. For added beauty and depth, try layering—combine evergreens with shrubs and perennials to soften the look and give your screen a more natural, varied appearance. Maintenance also plays a role in long-term success; light pruning will keep plants dense and shapely, while consistent watering during the establishment phase helps them root deeply and grow strong. Finally, keep design considerations in mind—choose plants not just for their mature height and width, but also for how they look through the seasons, ensuring your screen provides privacy and visual interest all year long.

Final Thoughts

For most homeowners, Thuja ‘Green Giant’ is the ultimate go-to for privacy: fast, reliable, and attractive year-round. But combining evergreens, shrubs, and ornamental trees can create a screen that’s both functional and beautiful, tailored to your property’s unique needs.

Boxwood Basics: Which Variety Should You Choose?

Boxwood Basics Variety

Boxwood Basics

Boxwoods are a cornerstone of American landscapes, prized for their evergreen foliage, adaptability, and timeless appeal. Whether you’re designing a formal hedge, adding structure to a mixed border, or creating a classic foundation planting, choosing the right boxwood variety is key to long-term success. With dozens of cultivars available, it’s important to understand the differences in size, shape, and hardiness so you can match the right plant to your landscape needs.

Why Choose Boxwoods?

Boxwoods offer year-round greenery, respond well to pruning, and can be shaped into hedges, spheres, or left natural for a softer look. Their dense foliage makes them ideal for creating structure and contrast in the garden.

Popular Boxwood Varieties

Boxwood Basics Usage Chart

Tips for Success

Site Selection: Plant in well-drained soil; avoid waterlogged areas.Boxwood Basics Variety

Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade, depending on the variety.

Pruning: Light, regular pruning keeps shape without stressing the plant.

Winter Care: Mulch roots and shield from harsh winds to prevent bronzing.

Boxwood Basics: Final Notes

The best boxwood for your project depends on your design goals. For formal hedging, ‘Suffruticosa’ or ‘Green Velvet’ are excellent. If you need an upright structure, go with ‘Green Mountain.’ For compact accents, ‘Green Gem’ is ideal. And for durability with faster growth, ‘Wintergreen’ stands out.

No matter which you choose, boxwoods provide year-round structure and elegance, making them one of the most dependable shrubs in the landscape trade. Boxwoods also provide elegant foliage that helps to increase property value.

Contact our knowledgeable team at Country Springs Wholesale Nursery and schedule a visit to see our huge selection in person.

 

Native Trees for Busy Landscapes: Why They Matter

Native Trees on our yard

Native Trees in the Mid Atlantic

Native Trees grow naturally in a certain regions or ecosystems without beingNative Trees on our yard brought there by people. They are species that have adapted over time to the local climate, soil, and wildlife. These trees play an important role in supporting the natural balance of that area.

It is easy to be drawn to exotic or unusual trees when planning a landscape project. Uncommon tress have their place but native trees are often the best choice for homeowners. Additionally, beauty, resilience, and low-maintenance care. make Native Trees ideal for today’s busy lifestyles.

Native Tree Benefits

Low Maintenance
A native tree is already suited to our region’s rainfall, temperature swings, and soil conditions. This means they require less watering, fertilization, and long-term upkeep compared to many non-native options.

Support for Wildlife
From songbirds to pollinators, native trees provide food and shelter for local wildlife. Planting them helps restore natural habitats right in your own backyard.

Seasonal Beauty
Far from being ordinary, many of these trees offer spectacular seasonal displays. Spring blooms, rich fall colors, and striking winter silhouettes add year-round appeal.

Resilience
Another reason to consider, native trees are more resistant to local pests and diseases. This reduces the need for chemical treatments because these trees are also more tolerant of weather extremes, from summer heat to winter cold.

Recommended Native Trees for Landscape Projects

In the Mid-Atlantic (Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, New Jersey, and surrounding areas), native trees represent the smart choice for landscaping because they’re already adapted to local weather, soils, and pests. That means they require less maintenance and provide better habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. Here are some top recommendations and why they’re most often used:

Redbud (Cercis canadensis) – Beautiful pink spring flowers, heart-shaped leaves, and excellent for small yards.
Redbud Native Trees

White Oak (Quercus alba) – A classic shade tree with strong wildlife value and stunning fall foliage.
White Oak Native Trees

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) – Multi-season interest with spring blooms, edible summer berries, and fiery fall color.
Serviceberry Native trees

River Birch (Betula nigra) – Distinctive peeling bark, fast-growing, and adaptable to wet soils.
River Birch Native trees

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) – Evergreen privacy tree that provides food and cover for birds.
Eastern Red Cedar Native Trees

Choosing local trees is not just good for the environment — it’s good for you too. They save time, reduce maintenance headaches, and ensure your landscape thrives for years to come.

If you’re ready to bring the beauty and resilience of native trees into your yard then stop by Country Springs Wholesale Nursery. Our team can help match you with the right tree for your space and lifestyle.